US7431233B2 - Tape cartridge - Google Patents
Tape cartridge Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US7431233B2 US7431233B2 US11/401,251 US40125106A US7431233B2 US 7431233 B2 US7431233 B2 US 7431233B2 US 40125106 A US40125106 A US 40125106A US 7431233 B2 US7431233 B2 US 7431233B2
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- tape
- ribs
- back side
- front cover
- face
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Active, expires
Links
- 230000033228 biological regulation Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 13
- 230000003068 static effect Effects 0.000 description 6
- 239000002216 antistatic agent Substances 0.000 description 3
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 description 3
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 3
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 3
- 230000002265 prevention Effects 0.000 description 3
- 239000011347 resin Substances 0.000 description 3
- 229920005989 resin Polymers 0.000 description 3
- 230000003292 diminished effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000001105 regulatory effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000000903 blocking effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000013500 data storage Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010137 moulding (plastic) Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000007665 sagging Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
- G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
- G11B23/00—Record carriers not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Accessories, e.g. containers, specially adapted for co-operation with the recording or reproducing apparatus ; Intermediate mediums; Apparatus or processes specially adapted for their manufacture
- G11B23/02—Containers; Storing means both adapted to cooperate with the recording or reproducing means
- G11B23/04—Magazines; Cassettes for webs or filaments
- G11B23/041—Details
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
- G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
- G11B23/00—Record carriers not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Accessories, e.g. containers, specially adapted for co-operation with the recording or reproducing apparatus ; Intermediate mediums; Apparatus or processes specially adapted for their manufacture
- G11B23/02—Containers; Storing means both adapted to cooperate with the recording or reproducing means
- G11B23/04—Magazines; Cassettes for webs or filaments
- G11B23/041—Details
- G11B23/045—Covers
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
- G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
- G11B23/00—Record carriers not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Accessories, e.g. containers, specially adapted for co-operation with the recording or reproducing apparatus ; Intermediate mediums; Apparatus or processes specially adapted for their manufacture
- G11B23/02—Containers; Storing means both adapted to cooperate with the recording or reproducing means
- G11B23/04—Magazines; Cassettes for webs or filaments
- G11B23/041—Details
- G11B23/047—Guiding means
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
- G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
- G11B23/00—Record carriers not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Accessories, e.g. containers, specially adapted for co-operation with the recording or reproducing apparatus ; Intermediate mediums; Apparatus or processes specially adapted for their manufacture
- G11B23/02—Containers; Storing means both adapted to cooperate with the recording or reproducing means
- G11B23/04—Magazines; Cassettes for webs or filaments
- G11B23/08—Magazines; Cassettes for webs or filaments for housing webs or filaments having two distinct ends
- G11B23/087—Magazines; Cassettes for webs or filaments for housing webs or filaments having two distinct ends using two different reels or cores
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
- G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
- G11B23/00—Record carriers not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Accessories, e.g. containers, specially adapted for co-operation with the recording or reproducing apparatus ; Intermediate mediums; Apparatus or processes specially adapted for their manufacture
- G11B23/02—Containers; Storing means both adapted to cooperate with the recording or reproducing means
- G11B23/04—Magazines; Cassettes for webs or filaments
- G11B23/08—Magazines; Cassettes for webs or filaments for housing webs or filaments having two distinct ends
- G11B23/087—Magazines; Cassettes for webs or filaments for housing webs or filaments having two distinct ends using two different reels or cores
- G11B23/08707—Details
- G11B23/08735—Covers
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a tape cartridge having a tape loading pocket in the center of a front face of a main case and a tape protecting front cover provided on the main case for covering the outer front face of the pocket.
- a tape reel incorporated in the main case sometimes rotates improperly upon reception of external impact, and a tape sagging and protruding toward the front face of the case main body adheres tightly to the static-charged back side of the front wall of the front cover.
- the tape is extracted together with the front wall of the front cover from the tape reel when a tape cartridge is loaded onto a tape deck and the front cover is opened by a upward rotation. Consequently, a so-called jamming phenomenon occurs at the time of tape loading, and this causes the deck inoperable, as well as tape damage and ejection failure of the tape cartridge from the tape deck.
- Such failure may be eliminated by, for example, forming the front cover from resin materials containing antistatic agents, which increases manufacturing costs of the tape cartridge.
- the back side of the front wall of the front cover is generally polished to be a smooth surface, i.e., mirror polished.
- the basic purpose of the present invention is to make the back side of the front cover uneven so as to prevent the phenomenon that the tape adheres to the back side of the front cover due to the influence of static charge and moisture.
- JP H8-293182 A (Paragraph No. 0022, FIGS. 5, 12)
- JP H7-147075 A (Paragraph No. 0031, FIGS. 2, 6).
- recess portions having backward openings are formed on the back side of the front wall of the front cover to have a stepped surface, so that a facing distance to the tape is increased for the recess size of the recess portion, which prevents tape adhesion to the back side of the front wall.
- protruding portions are formed on the back side of the front wall to decrease a contact area between the tape and the back side in order to prevent tape adhesion.
- the protruding portions in this case are formed to have a square cross section having a flat top end face.
- the protruding portions may be formed to have a triangle cross section (see FIG. 12 in JP H8-293182 A and FIG. 2 in JP H7-147075 A).
- An object of the present invention is to provide a tape cartridge structured to have a regulation body integrally provided in a protruding manner on the back side of a front plate portion of a front cover for preventing tape adhesion, the tape cartridge reliably preventing tape damage while surely preventing adhesion of a tape to the back side of the front plate portion of the front cover.
- a tape cartridge including: a tape loading pocket 5 formed in a center of a front face of a main case 1 ; and a tape protecting front cover 7 provided on the main case 1 for covering an outer front face of the pocket 5 , wherein as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
- a regulation body 15 for preventing adhesion of a tape 2 is integrally formed in a protruding manner in a region facing the pocket 5 on a back side 13 of a front plate portion 9 of the front cover 7 facing a magnetic layer of the tape 2 , wherein the regulation body 15 includes a plurality of ribs extending in vertical direction and disposed in horizontal direction at intervals, and wherein a top end face of each rib is convex-curved to have a circular arc cross section.
- the regulation body 15 may include a plurality of kinds of ribs different in protruding size from the back side 13 of the front plate portion 9 of the front cover 7 , and a plurality of kinds of the ribs may be disposed in horizontal direction at intervals.
- a plurality of ribs extending in vertical direction are protruded on the back side 13 of the front plate portion 9 of the front cover 7 facing the magnetic layer of the tape 2 , and therefore compared to the conventional structure in which the back side 13 is flat, a contact area between the back side 13 and the magnetic layer face of the tape 2 is minimized and tight adhesion of the tape 2 to the back side 13 can effectively be prevented.
- the top end of each rib is convex-curved to have a circular arc cross section, and therefore compared to the ribs having a square cross section with a flat top end face as shown in FIG.
- a contact area between the tape and the rib can be reduced, and this, in addition to the top end of each rib being convex-shaped to have a circular arc cross section, makes it possible to effectively prevent the tape 2 from adhering to the ribs having a large protruding size.
- ribs having a small protruding size disposed between the ribs having a large protruding size can receive the magnetic layer face of the tape 2 which is induced to the back side 13 and tends to adhere thereto, so that adhesion of the tape 2 to the back side 13 can be prevented (see FIG. 6B ).
- FIG. 1 is a traverse plane view showing major parts of a tape cartridge
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tape cartridge
- FIG. 3 is a plane view showing the inside of the tape cartridge
- FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 3 ;
- FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 4 ;
- FIG. 6 is a traverse plane view showing major parts of the tape cartridge for explaining the function of a regulation body.
- FIG. 1 show embodiments in which a tape cartridge is applied to DDSs (digital data storages) for computer backup, the tape cartridge being composed of a pair of left-side and right-side tape reels 3 , 3 , for taking up a magnetic tape (tape) 2 and a reel lock mechanism placed inside a hollow box-like case body 1 formed by combining upper and lower cases 1 a , 1 b in a lid coupling state.
- DDSs digital data storages
- a tape loading pocket 5 whose lower face and front face open is formed in a recessed form.
- the tape 2 unreeled from one tape reel 3 is guided to move to the other tape reel 3 through a pair of left-side and right-side tape guides 6 , 6 .
- the tape guides 6 , 6 are provided on the front left side and the front right side of the pocket 5 , and the tape 2 , when unused, is retained in the state of passing transversely across the front face of the pocket 5 with a magnetic layer face facing outward.
- the front face and the upper face of the pocket 5 are covered with the front cover 7 and the lower face side thereof is covered with a shutter 8 in order to protect the tape 2 facing outside the front face of the pocket 5 .
- the front cover 7 in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 is a plastic molding including a front plate portion 9 covering a front side of the case body 1 including the open front face of the pocket 5 over the horizontal direction and coupling pieces 10 integrally provided in such a way as to extend from the left and right ends of the front plate portion 9 to the rear of the case body 1 .
- Spindles 11 facing each other in the inward direction are provided in a protruding manner on the left and right coupling pieces 10 and these Spindles 11 are rotatably supported by spindle holes provided on the left-side and right-side walls of the upper case 1 a .
- the front cover 7 is rotatably biased so as to close by an unshown torsion coil spring mounted on one spindle 11 , and is received and supported by the shutter 8 so as to define the closed posture.
- the shutter 8 which is placed on the lower face of the case body 1 , is supported by the case body 1 so as to be slidable in front and rear directions, and when not in use, the shutter 8 is locked and retained by an unshown lock nail formed on the case body 1 so that the shutter 8 is not opened.
- the shutter 8 when not in use covers the lower face side of the pocket 5 and also covers drive shaft insertion holes which are open to the lower face of the case body 1 and which correspond to the mounting positions of the tape reels 3 , 3 .
- the pocket 5 and the drive shaft insertion holes are opened.
- reference numeral 12 denotes an aperture for opening the drive shaft insertion hole.
- a regulation body 15 for preventing adhesion of the tape 2 is integrally provided in a protruding manner at least in the region facing the pocket 5 on the back side 13 of the front plate portion 9 of the front cover 7 facing the magnetic layer face of the tape 2 .
- the regulation body 15 includes large and small two kinds of vertical ribs 16 , 17 different in inward protruding size from the back side 13 of the front plate portion 9 .
- the top end section of each of the ribs 16 , 17 is convex-shaped to have a circular arc cross section.
- These large and small two kinds of ribs 16 , 17 are disposed alternately at a constant interval of e.g., 2.4 mm in horizontal direction, and when the front cover 7 is put in the closed posture as shown in FIG. 4 , the ribs proximately face the magnetic layer face of the tape 2 positioned on the front face of the pocket 5 in the state of being hung between the tape guides 6 , 6 .
- the protruding size of the large ribs 16 is regulated such that when the front cover 7 is in the closed posture, the large ribs 16 proximately face with appropriate gaps or come into contact with the magnetic layer face of the tape 2 .
- the preferable range of the protruding size of the large ribs 16 is from 0.15 mm to 0.3 mm. This size range is preferable because if the size is smaller than 0.15 mm, the adhesion prevention effect is diminished, whereas if the size is larger than 0.3 mm, then the tape 2 is tightly pressed by the large ribs 16 when the front cover 7 is in the closed posture, and this easily causes tape damage.
- the protruding size of the small ribs 17 is necessarily smaller than that of the large ribs 16 , and its preferable range is from 0.05 mm to 0.15 mm.
- This size range is preferable because if the size is smaller than 0.05 mm, the protruding size from the back side 13 is too small to achieve sufficient adhesion prevention effect, whereas if the size is larger than 0.15 mm, then a difference in protruding size from the large ribs 16 whose protruding size are set to a relative small value within the above-mentioned preferable range is diminished, and this also reduces the adhesion prevention effect due to the protruding sizes of all ribs including the large ribs 16 being small.
- the radius R of the circular arc cross section of the large ribs 16 and the small ribs 17 should preferably be in the range from 0.1 mm to 2.0 mm.
- the radius R is smaller than 0.1 mm, it is likely to damage the tape 2 with the top ends of the ribs 16 , 17 , whereas if the radius R is larger than 2.0 mm, the rib width is too increased, and the tape 2 is likely to wind and adhere on or around the top ends of the ribs 16 , 17 so that the adhesion of the tape 2 to the back side 13 of the front plate portion 9 of the front cover 7 becomes easily caused.
- the protruding size of the large ribs 16 is 0.25 mm
- the protruding size of the small ribs 17 is 0.1 mm
- the radius of the circular arc cross section of the large ribs 16 is 0.6 mm
- the radius of the circular arc cross section of the small ribs 17 is 0.5 mm.
- a plurality of ribs 16 , 17 are provided in a protruding manner on the back side 13 of the front plate portion 9 of the front cover 7 , so that compared to the structure in which the back side 13 is flat, a contact area between the back side 13 and the tape 2 is minimized and tight adhesion of the tape 2 to the back side 13 can effectively be prevented. Since the top end of each of the ribs 16 , 17 is convex-curved to have a circular arc cross section, a contact area between the ribs 16 , 17 and the tape 2 is considerably reduced, which also makes it possible to efficiently prevent tight adhesion of the tape 2 to the ribs 16 , 17 .
- the small ribs 17 having a small protruding size disposed between the adjacent large ribs 16 , 16 can receive the tape 2 which is induced to the back side 13 and tends to adhere thereto, so that adhesion of the tape 2 to the back side 13 can be prevented (see FIG. 6B ). Therefore, even in the case where the front cover 7 is charged with a large amount of static charge, adhesion of the tape 2 to the back side 13 can reliably be prevented with a simple structure.
- the tape cartridge of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and may include varied modifications.
- the large rib 16 and the small rib 17 are alternately arrayed in the horizontal direction, it is not limited thereto, the large rib 16 and the small rib 17 may be arrayed in a different order such as the large rib 16 , the large rib 16 and the small rib 17 , or the small rib 17 , the small rib 17 and the large rib 16 .
- the ribs 16 , 17 is disposed on the back side 13 of the front plate portion 13 of the front cover 7 at a constant interval of e.g., 2.4 mm, the interval between two rib adjacent to each other is not necessarily required to be constant.
- DDS-type tape cartridges Without being limited to DDS-type tape cartridges, the present invention is equally applicable to video cassettes, music tape cartridges and single reel cartridges.
Landscapes
- Packaging Of Annular Or Rod-Shaped Articles, Wearing Apparel, Cassettes, Or The Like (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims (2)
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP2005114539A JP2006294138A (en) | 2005-04-12 | 2005-04-12 | Tape cartridge |
JP2005-114539 | 2005-04-12 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20060226272A1 US20060226272A1 (en) | 2006-10-12 |
US7431233B2 true US7431233B2 (en) | 2008-10-07 |
Family
ID=36539565
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US11/401,251 Active 2026-10-09 US7431233B2 (en) | 2005-04-12 | 2006-04-11 | Tape cartridge |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US7431233B2 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2006294138A (en) |
CN (1) | CN1848286B (en) |
GB (1) | GB2425218B (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JP2009280304A (en) * | 2008-05-19 | 2009-12-03 | Oki Semiconductor Co Ltd | Tape guide device |
Citations (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE146217C (en) | ||||
JPS60109079A (en) * | 1983-11-17 | 1985-06-14 | Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd | Tape cassette |
JPS60127584A (en) * | 1983-12-14 | 1985-07-08 | Sony Corp | Tape cassette |
JPH06325538A (en) | 1993-05-18 | 1994-11-25 | Sony Corp | Tape cassette |
JPH07147075A (en) | 1993-11-22 | 1995-06-06 | Sony Corp | Tape cassette |
JPH08293182A (en) | 1995-04-21 | 1996-11-05 | Sony Corp | Tape cartridge |
Family Cites Families (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DD146217A1 (en) * | 1979-09-20 | 1981-01-28 | Werner Arndt | IMMOVABLE SLIDING GUIDE FOR BAENDER WITH GLOSSY SURFACE |
JPS5875385U (en) * | 1981-11-17 | 1983-05-21 | ソニー株式会社 | tape cassette |
CN1017476B (en) * | 1985-04-01 | 1992-07-15 | 菲利浦光灯制造公司 | Magnetic tape cassette |
JPS615487A (en) * | 1985-06-05 | 1986-01-11 | Hitachi Maxell Ltd | Tape cartridge |
JP2523376Y2 (en) * | 1990-12-21 | 1997-01-22 | 花王株式会社 | Tape cassette |
-
2005
- 2005-04-12 JP JP2005114539A patent/JP2006294138A/en active Pending
-
2006
- 2006-03-20 CN CN2006100655460A patent/CN1848286B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2006-04-07 GB GB0607065A patent/GB2425218B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2006-04-11 US US11/401,251 patent/US7431233B2/en active Active
Patent Citations (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE146217C (en) | ||||
JPS60109079A (en) * | 1983-11-17 | 1985-06-14 | Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd | Tape cassette |
JPS60127584A (en) * | 1983-12-14 | 1985-07-08 | Sony Corp | Tape cassette |
JPH06325538A (en) | 1993-05-18 | 1994-11-25 | Sony Corp | Tape cassette |
JPH07147075A (en) | 1993-11-22 | 1995-06-06 | Sony Corp | Tape cassette |
JPH08293182A (en) | 1995-04-21 | 1996-11-05 | Sony Corp | Tape cartridge |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
CN1848286A (en) | 2006-10-18 |
JP2006294138A (en) | 2006-10-26 |
GB2425218A (en) | 2006-10-18 |
GB2425218B (en) | 2007-09-19 |
US20060226272A1 (en) | 2006-10-12 |
CN1848286B (en) | 2010-05-12 |
GB0607065D0 (en) | 2006-05-17 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: HITACHI MAXELL, LTD., JAPAN Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:NISHIWAKI, TOSHIRO;REEL/FRAME:017782/0631 Effective date: 20060331 |
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STCF | Information on status: patent grant |
Free format text: PATENTED CASE |
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FPAY | Fee payment |
Year of fee payment: 4 |
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FPAY | Fee payment |
Year of fee payment: 8 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: FUJIFILM CORPORATION, JAPAN Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:HITACHI MAXELL, LTD.;REEL/FRAME:044053/0281 Effective date: 20170901 |
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MAFP | Maintenance fee payment |
Free format text: PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 12TH YEAR, LARGE ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M1553); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY Year of fee payment: 12 |